Carriers seek July rate hikes, Hapag-Lloyd opens Vietnam-USEC route

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hapag-lloydOcean box carriers announced impending rate hikes on ex-Asia routes effective July.

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) said that “in view of the positive market development,” a rate restoration will be imposed on all shipments between Asia destinations and Japan to recover increasing operational costs.

From July 1, rates for all commodities and equipment types from Asian ports to Japan will be raised by US$50 per twenty-foot-equivalent unit (TEU) and $100 per forty-foot-equivalent unit (FEU).

From July 15, rates from Japan to Asia will go up by $50 per TEU and $100 per FEU.

Geneva-based Mediterranean Shipping Co. (MSC) plans to implement a peak season surcharge (PSS) on export cargo from any Asian port to East Africa from July 1.

The PSS is US$300 per TEU from Asia to the East African ports of Tanzania, Kenya, Zanzibar, and Mozambique.

On the other hand, Germany’s Hapag-Lloyd is set to raise freight quotes from Asia to Mexico, the West Coast of Central America, and the West Coast of South America.

A rate hike of US$500 per TEU is to be levied with effect from July 15 on all cargoes and all container types on these trade routes.

Similarly, the Hamburg-based ocean box liner will impose a general rate increase on its Far East westbound service.

Effective July 9, its rates from Asia (excluding Japan) to all North Europe and Mediterranean destinations will be increased by $1,000 per TEU.

The rate changes are applicable to all cargoes and container types bound for the North Europe destinations of North West Continent, UK, Scandinavia, Baltic, and the European ports of Russia.

Mediterranean ports are comprised of the West Mediterranean, East Mediterranean, Black Sea, and North Africa.

Asia covers Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, China, Macau, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Brunei, and the Russian Pacific ports of Vladivostok and Vostochny.

Hapag-Lloyd also unveiled service changes for its South China-Vietnam Express (SVS).

It will impose the port rotation changes on the SVS service to and from Asia and the U.S. East Coast (USEC) via the Suez Canal.

The changes include a direct eastbound service from Vung Tau, Vietnam, to the USEC to offer its customers “a faster and more competitive transit time” between the two destinations, and the dropping of the port of Algeciras, Spain.

The new port rotation will be Hong Kong, Yantian, Vung Tau, Singapore, Norfolk, Savannah, Jacksonville, Charleston, Colombo, Singapore, and Hong Kong.

The maiden eastbound sailing departs Asia from Hong Kong on July 12, and the initial westbound sailing from North America has an ETD from Charleston of August 19.